Mind Body Green
A French Girl’s Natural Beauty Rules For Fall
French women don’t wear makeup, or do they? When it comes to achieving a natural-looking, fresh-faced glow, French women are just more successful at it than most. There is a certain je ne sais quoi about the way they approach their beauty regimes.
Clémence Von Mueffling knows the importance of having a good skin care regime. The founder of Beauty and Well Being’s (launched in 2014) interest and passion for wellness coincided with the birth of her twins and a newfound relationship with beauty. Before moving to New York, she worked for iconic brands such as Clarins, Puig, and Dior before turning to beauty journalism and a family tradition of sorts—both her mother and grandmother were both beauty editors at French Vogue.
Known among her friends for her insight and intuition of emerging trends, BWB was an obvious thing to do. “It is my way to share my discoveries with all women who want to achieve a healthier life and feel beautiful but have no time to find all the information. I will be doing the research for them!”
Here, Clémence navigates her daily rituals and gives us a sneak peek into her beautifully balanced lifestyle.
Start and finish your day with a clean face! That is what I learned from my mother, Lorraine Bollore, who was a beauty editor at French Vogue. I love to spend a few extra minutes making this moment a very relaxing ritual. These days, some of my favorite products to make this ritual very special include:
In the morning:
- Remove any impurities from your skin with a toner. Usually this is La Roche-Posay, but sometimes I use Joëlle Ciocco, Clarins, or Omorovicza. After the toner, I use a spritz of Avène’s Thermal Water.
- For the eye contour I love the Embryolisse Protective Stick, but these days I am trying Bioeffect EGF Cellular Activating Serum. My other go-to product for the eyes is the South African brand Environ’s Firming Eye Gel.
- Depending on the “mood” of my face, I go for a lighter or richer cream: Filorga Time-Filler, Avène Light Cream SPF 25, or Avène Serum.
Then I use a light makeup. I am very faithful to By Terry makeup—her products give a beautiful healthy glow. For dark circles I am also faithful to YSL Touche Eclat, which is like a mini magic wand! Then I’ll use a little blush from Guerlain. And always some mascara—the one and only YSL Babydoll.
These days, I also have a small amount of Dexsil Organic Silicium, which is a nettle extract. My mother recently discovered that product and its fabulous benefits for nails, hair, and joints. So now my grandmother, my sister, and I have a little of this special water every morning!
Now that the weather is changing, I also start taking cures of vitamins and probiotics. The wonderful Carmel at Renew Spa just recommended to me vitamin D3 and probiotics from Kimberly Snyder. Of course, over time I can go to see her to get my microcurrent treatment! And now that the days are colder, I will buy some of my favorite French pharmacy products. Homeoplasmine is a must! This Vaseline-like cream is ideal for dry lips. I also swear by Avène Cicalfate, which will remove any redness or skin irritation.
Green Beauty
I have a few brands that I am very faithful to when it comes to more “green” beauty products. For haircare I regularly use Rahua and Christophe Robin shampoo and mask with prickly pear oil; for the shower I always have one of Dr. Bronner’s shower gels (perfect for the entire family!). You will always find a few natural deodorants such as Soapwalla. I always use skin care from Odacité (a team of French entrepreneurs based in LA); they also have a green shop called the Detox Market.
From their e-shop I always buy the brand Pai, which is so lovely, the Tata Harper cleansing face oil, as well as my nail polish from Kure Bazaar (totally natural and totally glamorous!)—for colors I use Macaron, Mademoiselle, or Vinyle. For the body I love body oils; Soapwalla makes one that is divine. For the sun I just started to use Supergoop! CC cream, which is easy to use and perfectly protects your skin from the sun.
Wellness
I work out regularly, and although you will never see me walking in the streets of New York with my gym outfit, I still exercise! I am faithful to Erika Bloom Pilates Studio, where I have been training with Kristen for years. I also do dance cardio with Katherine Greiner from KG Body, whom I love—she is so knowledgeable about wellness, and we always exchange healthy recipes, doctors, and tips to live a more balanced lifestyle. I also practice yoga, and when I can, I swim or go for a bike ride in the park. Lastly, I try to walk! It is the most simple yet efficient way to keep yourself active and fit.
Food
It is all about balance. As much as I love my “pain au chocolat,” I keep these for special occasions! Healthy snacks are very important for me. Whether at the office or traveling, I have roasted, unsalted almonds and dark chocolate. I love Alter Eco; the quality is fabulous, but I also recently discovered Askinosie which is just divine. Pure ingredients, no soy lecithin…
P.M. Ritual
In the evening, my ritual is all about a nice cleansing of the face. These days I double cleanse, using first a cleansing milk from Avène followed by a cleansing oil from Tata Harper that smells so nice! This is followed by a toner and finished with a spritz of thermal water. Sometimes this is enough, and I do not need a moisturizer. If I do need one, I like the night serum by Bioeffect or a face oil such as the Huile Fabuleuse by Marisa Berenson, which is made with prickly pear oil.